I’ve always loved the toddler years. Granted there are the inevitable tantrums and battles for power but so much more than that are the huge personalities that these miniature humans possess. The eight year age gap between me and my youngest sister means that I can remember her cutesy toddler period very clearly, so when I found out I was pregnant with Hector it was this stage I was most looking forward to after he was born.

And lo and behold, I’ve blinked and suddenly Hector is two and a quarter years old and we’re right slap bang in the middle of toddlerdom and I have to say it’s the best phase yet. I don’t think I’ve ever appreciated the ability to verbally communicate so much as I do now. Knowing what he wants makes life so much easier and the inevitable comedy factor when he mixes up his words or unknowingly places emphasis on certain parts of a spoken sentence brings his dad and I so much laughter.

I don’t suppose for a moment that these quirks are unique to Hector; in fact I know from friends and family and from you lovely lot that ALL toddlers do this in their own way. That it’s just a part of being a kid I suppose and understanding how the world works and their interpretations of it. But what I am fascinated by is how developed his personality already is even at such a young age.

I’ve talked at length previously about his obsession with cars, trucks and bikes which you can read here if you missed it first time round. And whilst this will always be his first love I’ve been surprised by his passion for dancing too. This kid likes to throw some serious shapes – not something he’s ever really seen his mum or dad do (I tend to only dance when I’ve had copious amounts of gin!) so where on earth has he got this from.

I’ve been especially guilty of thinking that Hector has learned everything from us, from our immediate family but that’s such a reductive way of thinking. How naive of me to take such a view. He is quite clearly already his own person with personality traits unique to him.

Of those that know him, be it his teachers at nursery or my close girlfriends, all have commented on his compassion and kindness towards others. He’s the first to pick up a toy that another child has dropped and hand it back to them, dishes out cuddles by the truckload to those individuals he knows are sad and is gentle beyond compare with any animal he meets. That’s not to say he’ll give you a kiss though…oh no…you may bestow smooches on him but you can think twice if you’re getting one back! His current obsession with mummies and babies extends to his cars also and he gets obviously upset whenever he watches a particular episode of Paw Patrol where a baby whale gets stranded on a beach and the mummy tries to rescue him. It breaks my heart in two watching him hold back the tears.

But boy oh boy has he got a temper, I’ve been that mum trying to hide my blushes when Hector has decided to throw a tantrum in public because he can’t get his own way. I confess pre-children, I would have been the first to have commented on such a badly behaved child and now I’m the one reasoning with a frustrated two year old because I won’t buy him a magazine with a make it yourself DeLorean. Will this continue into his adulthood? Only time will tell but woe betide anyone that gets in his way if it does…

I’ve learnt that Hector is a bit of a control freak (actually he probably gets this from his mama) and if you really want to persuade him to go somewhere or do anything then he needs to think it’s his idea to begin with…sounds like a few adults I know too.

He’s bossy too, very bossy. Much worse than me and that’s going some according to my younger sisters. We recently visited a Magic Lantern light display before Christmas and he demanded to move on every time a particular set up didn’t match up to his expectations. “No way, mummy, no way!! That way!“. And when I read this article in the Huffington Post, it made me laugh because it was Hector down to a T. I have to say that such intricate car play has done wonders for his fine motor skills which are as precise and delicate as any ten year old’s.

It’s clear he’s creative. He adores make-believe especially when I make up little voices with his Playmobil people and Ste and I are regularly brought pens and paper so that we can draw his most favourite vehicles in 2D form that he then critiques for accuracy; I mean what has my life come to when I’m being assessed by a two year old that can just about draw a circle! I’ve also become a master builder of fort-building to boot. That’s probably my favourite form of play…that and Hector’s version of hide and seek. Let’s just say he hasn’t quite grasped the concept of this game yet.

Perhaps most of all I love his cheeky face; he’s definitely got his mischeviousness from his dad and the two of them are the only people in the world who are guaranteed to make me smile in an instant when I’ve been in the grumpiest mood.

But that’s enough of me wittering on. I’d love to hear about your own toddlers’ personality traits; is there anything you can see yet in their behaviour that you know is the essence of who they are rather than a passing whim of a two/three year old? Are you as amazed as I am that these characteristics manifest themselves at such a young age? Actually when I write it down it seems rather silly that I’m so surprised, they are miniature people after all.

Anyway I’d love to hear your thoughts so why not share your anecdotes and stories in the comments box below.